Finally, the government of Maharashtra has given the green light to the opening of cinemas in the state, starting Thursday, with a maximum occupancy of 50 percent. And that news has become “a kind of lifeline” for the film-showing industry. After all, the Mumbai circuit alone contributes 40 to 45 percent of a movie’s total box office earnings.
“So it was not surprising that no manufacturer was ready to release their films in theaters sooner, for other circuits,” says business analyst Taran Adarsh, adding: “It’s a huge relief. We’ve hit the reset button, so now, fingers are crossed. But it was imperative that cinemas in Maharashtra open as soon as possible, for the entire movie showing business. “
Although no Bollywood movie is ready for immediate release, even as theater owners “begin to make reopening plans,” Diwali is likely to see the premiere of Manoj Bajpayee-Diljit Dosanjh starring Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, and possibly a couple of smaller movies plus some Hollywood fare.
“Without a doubt, the reopening of theaters is great news. But it remains to be seen how things work on the ground. Would people appear in theaters? And in what numbers? Also, several people, especially those who watch Bollywood movies, must have spent their savings during closing just to survive, so will they have enough money to spare for fun? ”. says director and writer Anees Bazmee.
Given that most of the potential money makers have already been sold to OTT platforms, experts see a number of low- and mid-budget movies taking up space in theaters until the end of the year, “unless there is a surprising development. After Sooryavanshi (which was supposed to open on Diwali earlier), now Reliance Entertainment has decided to move Kabir Khan’s Christmas outing, ’83 to 2021 due to lack of time for marketing purposes and cinemas in certain markets foreigners to close due to Covid-19.
At this point, the biggest challenge for exhibitors will be “simplifying the content.” “We are happy that the business is restarting, but solving the schedule will be a big challenge. But we expect things to improve a lot by December, ”says exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi. Adarsh, for his part, feels the “launch pattern of the pre-Covid days” will return now. He says: “Except for those movies that are already committed to OTT platforms, it will now be like the pre-Covid days when movies would be released in theaters first and then on other platforms.”
What gives industry experts confidence is the fact that “the fear of the virus is decreasing.” As Bazmee puts it: “Also, since people are in large numbers on the roads, restaurants, shopping malls and markets, we can expect and hope that they will also visit theaters. After all, many people’s livelihoods and jobs are at stake. So let’s see. “
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